Indulge in the spirit of Halloween

Halloween came early this year. We met my brother David and his entourage at Huesten Woods on Saturday. The park is celebrating Halloween on several weekends this month and David invited us to join them at their campsite.

We got there in plenty of time to visit before trick or treating began. David’s wife, Apryl, introduced us to her supervisor and her family. There were several others in the group but they were in a different section of the park.

Two of the little girls provided the entertainment. One was a unicorn and the other was a butterfly. The unicorn insisted on climbing a nearby tree. Her little sister, the butterfly, was right behind her. Isn’t that the way life works? One leads the way for the other.

When they put on their costumes, the unicorn was fitted with a pink and blue wig, a unicorn horn and fussy bracelet things that were supposed to indicate hooves. Once she was properly outfitted she came over to my husband and me and rubbed her unicorn curls on us so we could feel how soft they were.

David and the rest of the grown-ups also got into costumes. They are fans of something called, “steam punk.” It looks to me like a cross between Victorian-style clothing crossed with science fiction and a touch of weirdness thrown in.

One of the dads wore a very minimalist outfit. He had a full-face Goonies mask, a regular T-shirt and shorts held up with suspenders. He was the most popular one of our group. One guy even tossed candy his way while the children had to go closer to get their treats.

There was a great variety of characters going from campsite to campsite. Most had store-bought costumes. One kid was a banana, another was a policeman.

There were several unicorns, with no two alike but my favorite was a little boy with a sheet thrown over him. The eye holes didn’t line up with his eyes although it didn’t seem to matter. It reminded me of Charlie Brown.

I remarked to my husband that I saw a ghost. The kid said he wasn’t a real ghost, that it was just a sheet with holes in it. Toward the end of the allotted time, we saw the kid again. Again, I said, “Look, there’s a ghost.” The kid replied, “Nope, it’s just me again.”

I am always surprised when we join David and Apryl for these events at just how many adults enjoy dressing up. I guess we never lose our fondness for make-believe. Most of the campsites were decorated with more corpses, ghouls, skeletons and jumping spiders than I ever thought possible. Other displays had hundreds of dollars invested in blow-up creatures, Disney characters and more fake spiderwebs than I knew existed. It was a wholesome way to spend a beautiful October day.

Halloween is a safe way to pretend to be something or someone else for a little while. We can indulge our fantasies in public without someone thinking we are strange for doing so.

The way we celebrate has changed over the years. At one time any one over the age of thirteen or so did not engage in the candy gathering. Teens were expected to collect money for charity or go to a private party. Adults rarely, if ever dressed up. They were the chaperones and went along to keep the children safe.

Treats have changed also. At one time apples and homemade popcorn balls were acceptable offerings. Even then, most homemade treats immediately hit the trash can just in case some sick person contaminated the treats. I don’t know of anyone who still gives out treats that aren’t wrapped in plastic by the manufacturer.

Halloween is a good time to indulge in fantasy. Plus, if you have children, it is perfectly fine to raid their stash once they have collapsed after the sugar high has worn off.

And if you see a kid with a sheet over his head, be aware that it isn’t a ghost, it is just a boy.